Stay With Me
by NikkiB1973
Summary: As Edward begins to plot his last selfish act in Italy Bella has a decision to make. Will she listen to Jake as he asks her to stay? Set in New Moon AU.


**Stay With Me**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Jacob reached his hand through the partially opened window of the Mercedes. Even though his hot skin brushed by Alice, he ignored the sting and caught hold of Bella's hand. "Don't do this, Bella. I'm begging you."

"I have to Jake." Silent tears fell from her eyes as she spoke. They dripped onto his arm and he felt the wetness cool his fevered skin.

"You really don't, Bells. Stay here please. For Charlie..." Jacob swallowed the lump in his throat as he played his last card. "Stay for me."

A flash of something lit up Bella's eyes as she gazed back at him. He saw her free hand reach down for her seat belt as if she was about to unclip it.

"I have had enough of this." Alice said impatiently. She revved the engine and took off at high speed. Jacob barely had time to snatch his hand back as the car sped down the road.

"Bella." He called after her. She had been on the verge of changing her mind. He had seen her hand hovering near the seat belt which was strapping her in the car. That was why the little pixie had put her foot down and raced off. She had sensed Bella's change of heart. Adrenaline fueled by anger surged through him. Jacob began to run after the car.

* * *

Bella twisted around in her seat in horror. She stared back at Jacob, she saw his devastated face as he began to run after the car. "Alice you have to stop." She begged her.

"There is no time." Alice kept her eyes on the road ahead. "Edward is going through with his plan, even a moments delay could prove fatal."

Bella turned back and slumped in her seat, her tears burning the lids as she cried. How had everything in her life turned so bad again? She had finally managed to claw herself back into a good place and now this. She took deep breaths to calm herself but found it wasn't working. "I can't do this, Alice." She whispered her confession, unable to look her friend in the eye. "I need you to stop the car."

Alice glanced at her, disbelief written all over her face. "You cannot mean that. I know that you are scared but this is Edward's life."

Bella closed her eyes again. She clenched her hands into fists. "What about my life? What about that? You and Edward are dragging me into danger for a second time. I still don't understand why he is doing this? He left me so why would he care whether I was dead."

Alice sighed irritably as she gripped the steering wheel. "You can't really have believed that, Bella. Edward never stopped loving you. He left you for your own good, to keep you safe from harm."

"This isn't keeping me safe from harm." Bella whispered. "You are dragging me straight into the lions den."

Alice glanced at her again, a puzzled frown marring her forehead. "You would let him perish?"

"That is his decision, not mine. I never asked for this." Bella sat up straighter in her seat. "Stop the car Alice. I want to get out."

"Bella please reconsider." Alice begged. She took her eyes off the road completely as she looked at Bella imploringly.

Bella was just about to answer her when she saw a flash of red. Her eyes opened wide as Jacob's wolf suddenly bypassed them and threw himself in front of the car, blocking the road ahead. "Alice stop." She screamed.

Alice returned her attention to the road and slammed on the brakes. The car spun round one hundred and eighty degrees before drawing to a halt. Bella was thrown violently forward, but luckily her seat belt stopped her going through the windscreen. As she tried to regain her breath the passenger door was wrenched open and Jacob frantically poked his head in the car.

"Bells I am so sorry. Please tell me you are okay?" He reached over and unsnapped her belt, then gently lifted her out of the seat.

"You fool." Alice yelled at him. "You could have killed her."

"Isn't that what you're trying to do, leech?" Jacob retorted. "Get out of here and never come back."

"You have no idea what you are doing." Alice snarled. "Bella please come."

Bella's head was spinning. She clutched onto Jacob's wide shoulders to steady herself. She heard Alice begging her again. "Please stop. I can't do it anymore Alice. I'm sorry." She buried her head in Jacob's shoulder and refused to look at her again.

"You heard her." Jacob said quietly. "You should go."

Alice sagged behind the wheel of the car. Her eyes glazed over as she went into a semi-trance. Jacob watched her curiously for a moment as she finally shook herself and glanced back up at Bella, who was still hiding her face. "He will succeed." She told her bluntly. "If you refuse to come with me right now, Edward will succeed."

"That is not her problem. Don't you dare shove that crap onto her." Jacob snapped as Bella began to sob. "It is his choice alone. Get out of here."

"Bella?" Alice asked one last time as she ignored Jacob completely.

"I can't. I just can't." Bella mumbled through her tears. "I'm sorry."

"Then so be it." Alice slammed the passenger door shut and sped off into the night.

* * *

Jacob carried Bella back to her house. They did not speak the whole way back, she just continued to sob quietly, drenching his skin with her tears. When he reached the house he carefully placed her on her feet as he opened the front door and led her inside.

"Do you want a drink?" He asked her cautiously.

Bella nodded. She sat at the kitchen table while he poured them both a glass of water. Bella mumbled her thanks and drank the cool liquid down greedily. Jacob did the same. He sat opposite Bella and looked at her anxiously. "Do you hate me for stopping you?"

She raised her tear stained face and shook her head. "You didn't stop me, Jake. I did. I felt like I had to go, having his death on my conscience was something I thought I couldn't live with, but when you begged me to stay I realized that it wasn't my place to save him. I couldn't do it anymore. He broke me once I can't let him do it again."

Jacob reached out and took her hand in his. He stroked her chilled fingers, infusing them with his heat. "You did the right thing, Bells. If you had gone and something had happened..." his voice tailed off as he choked up. "I honestly don't think I would have survived it if you got hurt or worse."

"I know." Bella tried to smile but her mouth wouldn't co-operate. "I have only just started to live again. I didn't want to go to Italy and die."

They continued to hold hands across the table as they let the night's events sink in. Eventually after half an hour Bella got up. She headed for the stairs and Jacob followed behind. Bella didn't protest when she climbed into bed and Jacob crawled in after her. He held her throughout the night as she grieved.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky when Bella woke. She felt incredibly warm. Glancing behind her she saw Jacob. He was fast asleep; his cheek resting on her hair as he slept. He looked at peace, his long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks as he breathed slowly in and out. One arm was thrown protectively across her waist. He was holding her together even as she slept. Bella turned back to stare out of the window at the sun. She often referred to Jacob as her own personal sun; he was the light who had guided her out of the dark place she had been hiding in. If it wasn't for him she would have still been half dead, existing through each day instead of living it.

An image of Edward came into her mind. She expected the guilt to slam into her but instead she just felt a dull ache. She had meant every word she had said to Jacob the night before. It wasn't her place to save Edward. What he was doing was a totally selfish act. He wasn't thinking about the people who loved him and would be hurt by his theatrical wish to end his existence. If she had gone to Italy to try and stop him she would have been no better then he was. How would Charlie have coped with the news of her death? What about Renee and her friends? And most of all how would it have affected Jake?

A warm hand touched her cheek gently, pulling her out of her reverie. "Are you okay?" Jacob asked huskily.

Bella turned her head and smiled at him sadly. "I'm trying to be."

"You're not alone Bella. I'm here for you. I love you." Jacob continued to trace his fingers over her soft skin.

"I know you do and thank you." Bella said gratefully. "I love you too. I just need a bit more..."

"Time." Jacob finished for her. "I know. You'll get there honey. We both will and I'll wait until you're ready."

Bella gazed into his earnest dark eyes. "You won't have to wait long, Jake. I promise."

Jacob rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I'll be ready."

* * *

In Italy in a small town called Volterra, the sun reached it's zenith. From a darkened corner a young man appeared, a red robe covering his body. He stepped out into the bright sunlight and gently let the velvet robe slip from his shoulders. He glittered brighter than the sun as he closed his eyes and waited for the end.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


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